Time controlled cigarette case



Oct. 14, 1952 G. H. HARRIS I 2,613,527

TIME CONTROLLED CIGARETTE CASE Filed June 29, 1950 mun. Illnul Garret!H. Harris IN V EN TOR.

WWW 3% Patented Oct. 14, 1952 UNITED STATES rATENrorFice g i 2,613,527 ITIME CONTROLLED CIGARETTE CASE Garrett H. Harris, Jacksom'Miss.

Application June 29, 1950, Serial No. 171,028 7 This invention relatesto improvements in smokers articles,

An object of this invention is to provide an improved cigarette casewith means incorporated therewith serving the broad purpose ofpreventing access to the interior of the case for removal of cigarettesat any time other than that allowed by the timing mechanismincorporat'ed in the case whereby the smoking habit of an individual maybe reduced. 7

Another object of this invention'is to provide an improved device f thecharacter to be described which is adapted to contain cigarettes, saiddevice including a case having a closure thereon which is hinged andaIockingdeVice holding the closure in the closed condition until suchtime that a timing device operates a bolt to allow the closure whoopened. The device also includes a structure for automatically stoppinthe operation of the timing device while the closure is in the opencondition so'that the full period betweenopeningsof the closure is not'reduced.

Ancillary objects and features ofdniportance will become apparent'in'following the description of the illustrated form ofthe' invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of'thedevice';

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on theline 2=2 .of Figure 1 and in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the device with the closure in the opencondition;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on theline44 of Figure 3 and in the direction of the arrows, and;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken'substantiall on the line 5--5 ofFigure 2 and in the direction of the arrows to show the stoparrangementfor the timing device.

In this invention I have provided a-case it which includes side walls 12and I4, endwalls or panels l6 and I8, a bottom 20 and which is providedwith an open top 22. .A closure 24- is hinged as at 26 to the case landis adapted to open and close the opening 22 in the case. The compartment28 is adapted to contain cigarettes.

A horizontal artition orishelf'3n is disposed in the'case adjacent thebottom 20 thereof and it, together with the bottom 2|] forms a hangerfor the various components of a timer or timing mechanism generallyindicated at 32.

The timing mechanism consists of a watch spring 34 mounted on the shaft36 which also has a gear 38 thereon, similar to the main spring of 7Claims. (01. 70-273) 2 a watch and its assembly. A ratchet Gil, whichmay be of the spring loaded type, is used to engage the gear tfiperrnitting the spring mechanism'to'operate for thepurpo se of drivingthe gear train including gears 48-, 4-2, 43; M, 45 and 15, each of whichare mounted on suitable shafting. The winding pinion l! is mounted onthe shaft or winding stem 43-. This winding stem passes through openingsin the horizontal partition 30 and the upper shelf 3!. The upper shelf3i 'to-. gether with the vertical partition 52 forms a winding stemcompartment 54 in the Case Iii. .A winding button 56 is disposed at theupper end of the shaft it] and on the shelf 3 l, but below the closure24. At the lower end of theshaft 48 there is another winding button 58which is employed for the purpose of operating the pinion 5?. This lowerbutton may be provided witha slot so, to accommodate a coin for thewinding function.

The gear 46 is fixed at the lower end of a shaft 62 which is disposed inthe compartment 64, defined by the vertical partition 65 and the upperhorizontal shelf 66 in the open end 12 of the case H). A bolt keeper 68is secured to the upper end of the shaft 62 andis adapted to overlie theinwardly extending flange ill at oneend of the closure 24 inorder tohold the closure in the closed condition. There is .a flat portion .12on the bolt 63 which; when disposed parallel with and adjacent to theflange 'Hl will permit the closure to be-released Orlifted.

A rod-14 is mounted for reciprocation in the compartmentM and the upperend thereof passes through an opening in the shelf 66. The lower end ofthe rod 14 has a stop 15 fixed thereto with a slhall prong 18 forming apart' thereof and adapted to engage in the teeth of the gear 45 in orderto prevent rotation of the gear train and hence the timer.

The rod 14 is mounted for vertical reciprocation and is adapted to beoperated by the-flange 10 of the closure 24. When the closure is in theclosed condition, the rod M is forced downwardly against the opposingforce of the spring which bears against the collar 82 carried by the rod.14 and-against the upper surface of the horizontal partition 30. 7Therefore, when the closure 24 is raised, the spring liftsthestoplt'sothat theprong "l8 thereof'may engage in the teethin order tostop the movement or the timer.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The compartment '28 is charged with cigarettes, cigars or the like. Thenthe spring mechanism or the timer 32 is wound tightly by the button 5 3when the closure 24 is open. Thereafter the closure 24 is pulled down sothat the open top 12 of the case is closed. At this time the rod 14 ispressed downwardly against the force of the spring 80 to thereby releasethe stop 18 from the gear train which forms a part of the timer.Accordingly the shaft 62 begins to rotate thereby causing the bolt 68 torotate and cover a part of the flange 10, holding the closure 24 in theclosed condition. At this time no cigarettes may be removed and accessto the interior of the device is prohibited in the absence of the actualbreaking of it.

In the event that the owner of the device forgets to wind the mechanismso as to cause a complete cycle of operation for opening the closure 24,he may employ the button 58 to wind the mechanism of the timer tothereby again initiate operation thereof.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A device to hold cigarettes comprising a case with an opening, aclosure arranged to close said opening, a bolt carried by said case toretain said closure in the closed position, a timer connected with saidbolt to release said bolt from said clos ure at predetermined intervals,and means carried by said case and controlled by said closure to stopsaid timer when said closure is in the open position.

2. The combination of claim 1 and said stop means including a rodmounted for reciprocation in said case, a member at the lower end ofsaid rod to stop said timer, and a spring reacting on said rod and saidcase and urging said rod in a direction to cause said member to stopsaid timer.

3. A device for retaining cigarettes comprising a case with an opening,a closure hinged to said case and adapted to overlie the opening and behingedly moved to a position remote from the opening to thereby renderthe interior of the case accessible, a horizontal partition disposed insaid case adjacent the bottom thereof, a gear train arranged betweensaid horizontal partition at the bottom of said case, a spring mechanismcon nected with said gear train to cause operation of said gear train, abolt, said closure having an inwardly directed flange at the top thereofand said bolt being engageable with the upper surface of said flange tohold said closure in the closed condition, a rod mounted for rotation insaid case and having said bolt flxed to the upper end thereof, the lowerend thereof being fixed to one of said gears of said gear train wherebywhen said gears are operated said bolt is constantly rotated, said boltbeing of such shape that upon a predetermined amount of rotation it isfreed from said flange so that said closure may be hingedly operated,and means arranged in said case for winding said spring mechanism.

4. A device for retaining cigarettes comprising a case with an opening,a closure hinged to said case and adapted to overlie the opening and behingedly moved to a position remote from the opening to thereby renderthe interior of the case accessible, a horizontal partition disposed insaid case adjacent the bottom thereof, a gear train arranged betweensaid horizontal partition at the bottom of said case, a spring mechanismconnected with said gear train to cause operation of said gear train, abolt, said closure havin an inwardly directed flange at the top thereofand said bolt being engageable with the upper surface of said flange tohold said closure in the closed condition, a rod mounted for rotation insaid case and having said bolt fixed to the upper end thereof, the lowerend thereof being fixed to one of said gears of said gear train wherebywhen said gears are operated said bolt is constantly rotated, said boltbeing of such shape that upon a predetermined amount of rotation it isfreed from said flange so thatsaid closure may be hingedly operated,means arranged in said case for winding said spring mechanism, said lastmentioned means comprising a shaft mounted for rotation in said casewith a winding button at at least one end thereof, and said shaft being.fixed to one of said gears of said gear train.

5. The combination of claim 4 and a stop disposed beneath saidhorizontal partition, a momrocable rod carried by said case and havingsaid stop secured to the lower end thereof, said stopbein arranged toengage and hold one of the gears of said train to stop said gear andthereby stop the operation of all of the gears of said train, and theupper end of said reciprocable rod being disposed at the opening in saidcase so that when said closure is being moved to the closed position iturges said reciprocable rod axially and in a direction to space the stopfrom the gear which it stops.

6. The combination of claim 4 and vertical partitions in said casedefining chambers, one of said chambers having said shaft disposedtherein and the other of said chambers having said first mentioned rodtherein.

7. The combination of claimd and a stop disposed beneath said horizontalpartition, a reciprocable rod carried by said case and havin said stopsecured to the lower end thereof, said stop being arranged tov engageand hold one of the gears of said train to stop said gear and therebystop the operation of all of the gears of said train, the upper end ofsaid reciprocable rod being disposed at the openings in said case sothat when said closure is being moved to the closed position it urgessaid reciprocable rod axially and in a direction to space the stop/fromthe gear which it stops, and said reciprocable rod having a springoperatively connected therewith and re acting thereon to oppose theclosure caused operation of said reciprocable rod.

GARRETT I-LHARRIS.

REFERENCES CITED f The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent: I

UNITED STATES PATENTS Austria Mar. 25, 1931

